Damn, this ended up being a dark fantasy, and I dislike fantasy. But it is a well written supernatural tale about art and its power to take on different forms than what its creator intended.

Megan Shepherd is a must buy author for me - no matter what the story, her books are an auto purchase and I’m never disappointed.

This was a really fun read!

Recently separated and left with almost nothing to her name, Haven returns to the home she grew up with, last inhabited by her famous author father who has since passed away. While looking for memorabilia to sell, Haven starts to notice weird happenings around the house. Could it be the work of a local literary group dying to get their hands on Haven's father's unfinished scary monster manuscript or is there actually something sinister and supernatural about Malice house? I think it's clear early on what path the plot will take but you are still in for a deliciously fun twist. I also loved the interwoven monster stories at the beginning of each chapter and I wish they were their own book, very creative! I personally thought the pacing at end was a bit slow with all the fight scenes piled up but definitely worth the rest of the thrills and intrigue!

I’ve loved the thriller books put out lately and this was such a great read. Suggest to everyone looking for an engrossing time.

Malice House by Megan Shepherd is a horror novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Hyperion Avenue (for granting my wish - sorry I'm late in my review)  and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Haven Marbury has just inherited her father's estate.  Although an acclaimed novelist, Amory Marbury was broke, owing money to everyone.  All that is left for Haven is the rather run-down house, known as Malice House, which her father claimed was haunted, although his dementia may have been to blame for that.  However, it is somewhat perfect timing for Haven, because she and her abusive husband have just parted ways, and she is broke, with nowhere else to go.

When Haven finds a rather bizarre hand-written manuscript entitled Bedtime Stories for Monsters, she thinks she may have struck gold.   It is very different from the books that her father was known for.  These are short stories with strange creatures, witches and despicable humans. With ideas of publishing it with illustrations of her own, she meets with friends of her father's, who try to take over.  Everyone wants a piece of the manuscript, but Haven has become rather attached to the characters in the book, and feels she is the only one that can do the book justice.  If she can't illustrate it, no one can have it.

Haven meets Rafe, the handsome neighbour, who seems to be hiding something.  She also becomes friends with Kylie, the barista and wannabe author at the local bookstore.  Kylie, too, is hiding something.  But when Haven encounters the creature under the that bed attacks her, she starts to doubt her own mind, and trusting anyone becomes an issue.  It appears that her illustrations are coming to life, and Malice House may not be the safety she craves.


My Opinions:
I loved it.  It has a certain rhythm to it, and I didn't want to put it down.  Part of me wants a sequel. 

The chapters are told from Haven's perspective, with blurbs from "Bedtime Stories for Monsters",  so that eventually we are able to read the short stories.

The premise of the story was intriguing, and the twists were unexpected.   A couple of times I thought the book could end, and something else would happen to suck me back in.  It felt like a roller-coaster ride that knew no end.

It's a book of nightmares coming to life.  If, as a child, you thought there might be something under the bed, this will prove you right.  It was a fun, yet horror-driven, read.

It is also a book where the heroine learns she is not who she thought she was.  She is much braver, much deeper, much more talented than she ever thought she was.  She also learned that family can surprise you.

Overall, I just loved this book, and I'll be looking for more from this author.

Malice House is a dark and hauntgood story about Haven, her deceased father, and a creepy old house. The story built quickly and kept me immersed in every twist and turn. Hopefully there is a sequel because I need to know if she goes to find Rafe!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for reviewing an eARC.

I really enjoyed the world-building in this creepy little book. And I really enjoyed the book as a whole. There's really not much to say beyond that.

I liked the beginning, had to trudge through a slow middle, and had to keep up to a fast-paced end. This wasn’t for me, but I can see this as a good read during the spooky season.

Ooo this one was interesting! Not at all what I was expecting but so good! There was a great dash of horror and some genuinely scary moments. I feel like a reread is in order!

(3.5 stars rounded up)

I love books about books and writing, especially when there’s a spooky element to the story, so Malice House seemed right up my alley!

Despite my initial excitement, this was a slow start for me and took me a long time to really get into. There were so many elements of this story that ticked the boxes for me (including a found manuscript, things that go bump in the night, bootlegged horror movies, mysterious and gruesome deaths), but the execution of it all just wasn’t quite right for me.

The pacing felt very slow and dragged for me at times, and I thought the reveal of the main antagonist was not very interesting.

But there were things that I really liked about the story (including Haven, her relationship with the mysterious neighbour, and some big family secrets) and it offered a lot of food for thought in terms of writing, creation, and the nature of ideas and inspiration. So I have very mixed feelings about this book. The things that worked for me really worked, and the things that didn’t really didn’t.

Dark and a little spookier than I normally like. Another great read by Shephard but be wary of monsters! Thank you netgalley for this arc.

This book had me hooked for the first half, it was incredibly promising and had all of the amazing elements of a thriller that I look for. However, towards the end it starts to get more into a fantasy element that made it so much more difficult to believe and to get into. This truly ruined the book for me, as I am not much of a fantasy reader. The setting of this haunted house was done so incredibly well, and had so many horrific and gruesome elements that truly made this book so hard to put down! Definitely will check out another book by this author.

Malice House is a mix of genres—paranormal, horror, and thriller! I understand it might not be a preference for some people, but I enjoyed reading this book. The atmosphere and the creepy story made it more fun. I always love reading stories about haunted houses, ghosts and paranormal sightings, so Malice House was an instant win! Only reason I’m taking away a star is because there were some slow parts around the middle, but its only a few pages, I felt little derailed for the momentum! Other than that, Malice House is a well-written story that hooks you from the start.

Thank you Hyperion Avenue via Netgalley for the arc!

I’m not sure what that was. Dark fantasy, mystery, horror …. It definitely bends the genres, and not always successfully, IMO. Whatever the genre, it is seriously creepy. I am not sure that I liked it, but I couldn’t look away. 2.5 stars, rounded up.

This wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but found it to be a compelling and exciting read, nonetheless. What could be better than the ability to draw things to life??? Such an interesting, well done concept for a book. This isn't my typical fare, but I was glad I requested to read it, and thankful to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity. Can't wait to see what springs from this talented author's mind next. 4.5 out of 5, rounded to 5 for the purpose of this review.

This book brings all the dark fantasy, mystery, and thriller vibes with a dash of gothic thrown in.

When Haven’s father passes away, she travels to the small town of Lundie Bay to settle his estate. Having just left a bad marriage, Haven takes up residence in her father’s home, Malice House, while she tries to figure out her next move. Haven has been getting by writing summaries of horror movies for the dark web, but her real passion is her artwork. She dreams of being an illustrator for books. Now, it just so happens that her father, Amory Marbury, was a famous, award-winning author. When Haven finds an old, manuscript of short stories in her father’s attic, she believes she has found the opportunity she has been waiting for. She decides to draw the characters from the manuscript hoping to sell them together. What could be more perfect than a posthumous collaboration with her father after all?
However, soon after starting work on the drawings Haven begins to have some strange experiences in Malice House. Objects are moved, and she’s hearing things. On top of her experiences in the house, Haven has several run-ins with the locals who knew her father who seem to have hidden agendas.

This book was a fun read! I loved the setting - give me a spooky old house in the woods with long-held family secrets any day. I didn't know much about this book to start with, so I was surprised by the direction it took. The characters are interesting and well-rounded. The mystery surrounding Haven’s father keeps you guessing. Even the parts I figured out ahead didn't ruin anything for me. I haven't looked it up yet, but I'm hoping there will be more in this series. The ending, while trying up most of the storylines, does seem to lend itself to sequels.

Malice House came out on October 4th! Special thanks to @hyperionavebooks and @netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I guess I forgot to review this, but better late than never. Megan Shepherd got all the things right in this book that I wanted but didn't get from Madman's Daughter. I was pulled into the story quickly and connected with the characters and world-building. This is the way to do gothic horror in a contemporary setting without being silly or overly gory. There is some gore, but it's not Mexican Gothic level gore. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A detective story meets The Hazel Wood... but for adults. The first half is all build-up and subtleties, but no answers. The second half is all answers, whether you want them or not.

Malice House by Megan Shepherd surprised me. I was not expecting the level of gore or horror that I read. Don't get me wrong. I liked what I read, and the story continues to haunt me.

In Malice House, Ms. Shepherd plays with the adage regarding the power of the pen wherein the pen, or another artistic medium, literally has the ability to bring monsters to life. As if monsters hunting you are not enough horror, Ms. Shepherd adds untrustworthy acquaintances, a dark and creaky house that may or may not be haunted, odd burglary attempts, and a strange neighbor to the creep factor. Where the story ends is not at all expected and is what keeps you thinking about Malice House long after you finish it. For any reader, there is no higher praise than that.

I read hundreds of books a year. So many books that sometimes when I sit down at the end of December to come up with my "Top 10" of the year as I flip through the titles I have trouble even remembering what the book was about. "Malice House" will not be one of those forgotten books. This book has crawled inside my mind in a way that I haven't experienced in a very long time. The characters and creatures in its pages were so vivid to me that I had nightmares last night about the stories within this story. I was absolutely consumed by the plot of "Malice House," desperate to see how Haven's story would play out, anxious to learn more about "Bedtime Stories for Monsters," and terrified of every single "bump" I heard in the night.

"Malice House" begins the way all good horror stories do, with a long-delayed homecoming to a rickety house sprawling out over a lake, stretching towards the sky in impossible and unholy angles. Haven Marbury finds herself climbing the steps of the demented house six months after the death of her father, esteemed author Amory Marbury. She finds herself in need of a fresh start and a safe place to plot her next moves, and Malice House is her only option, no matter how unlikely it may seem as a safe haven.

As Haven combs through her father's belongings, looking for anything that might remain of personal or monetary value, she stumbles across "Bedtime Stories for Monsters," a volume written by her father in the throes of his battle with dementia and left under lock and key in the time since his death. Haven reads the pages and is as fascinated as she is repulsed by the stories she finds within the pages. The more she reads the more compelled she finds herself to illustrate the stories, thinking a posthumous father-daughter project could be just the ticket to snap her out of her current financial woes.

When Haven is attacked by a monstrous creature in her own bedroom after a night of fevered drawing, she can't help but wonder if there is some truth to her father's insistence that Malice House was haunted. As grisly murders occur in its immediate vicinity Haven must race to discover what evil lurks within the halls of the house, and what role her family has played in conjuring them.

"Malice House" is a must-read for fans of Stephen King and HP Lovecraft. Megan Shepherd has truly positioned herself at the forefront of a new generation of horror writers, and I will be waiting with bated breath for either a sequel or a new novel to follow "Malice House." Until then, I'm sure I'll continue to see the monsters within its pages in my nightmares.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing an Advanced Reader's Copy of "Malice House" in exchange for an unbiased review!